'Death Star' comes to idyllic British countryside

Yesterday, the 12-foot-tall lizards that secretly rule the world were playing golf. Today, they decide exactly how to destroy democracy.

"The Death Star is orbiting at maximum velocity here," yells American radio host and conspiracy theorist par excellence Alex Jones into his microphone. "And we're here proving that the Death Star exists!"

Four years ago Bilderberg was barely on the radar. But thanks to exposes from journalists including topical comedy writer Charlie Skelton it now attracts wide attention, especially from anti-globalism and anti-capitalism protesters.

And of course Jones, who describes himself as "the T-Rex of political talk". He flew over from the States and managed to book a room in the same resort.

Advertisement

But he was spotted and ejected by management, and is furious. "It's very humiliating to have booked something and be told you can't be there while slimy lobbyists meet to engage in crime," he ranted, in between accusing the Bilderberg members of everything from funding al-Qaeda to using humanity as guinea pigs to experiment with immortality drugs.

Police are clearly worried. On Tuesday The Grove basked in sunshine, as golf buggies whirred over rolling hills, past picturesque ponds and back to the immaculately classy resort buildings.

The Grove resort in Hertfordshire, where this year's secrecy-shrouded Bilderberg Group meeting is being held this week. Photo: Nick Miller

But outside, tied to lampposts, were worried warnings to local residents about the event which runs for four days from June 6.

Roads around The Grove were to be blocked to all pedestrians "because of the likelihood of danger to the public ... from public order issues and/or terrorism", said one sign from the county council.

Part of the security is due to the calibre of attendees.

The group have published a list of the more than 120 people at the meeting, chaired by Henrie de Castries, chairman and CEO of the AXA group.

Rob points up to the hotel and says, quite seriously, "That's the Illuminati up there. That's the top rung of the people who really run the world."

Business leaders on the list include Marcus Agius, who recently left the helm of Barclays bank after the Libor scandal, Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com, Eric Schmidt, head of Google, Michael Evans the chair of Goldman Sachs, the head of HSBC, the CFO and chairman of Shell, a chief analyst from Stratfor, Klaus Kelinfeld, chair and CEO of Alcoa, the CEO of Prudential and the president and CEO of Siemens. And many more.

Political figures include Henry Kissinger, Britain's shadow Chancellor and Chancellor Ed Balls and George Osborne, Jose Barroso, president of the European Commission, and Mario Monti, former Italian prime minister.

Christine Lagarde, head of the IMF is there, as well as scandal-clouded former general David Petraeus.

Skelton argues that the presence of politicians and public servants makes the group's secrecy more egregious.

"The opacity of this event doesn't exactly sit well with this new era of transparency that George Osborne has been keen to trumpet," he told the International Business Times. "The group releases a very sketchy agenda as to what is discussed but it doesn't amount to very much."

This year's publicly-released agenda includes vaguely-described items such as "developments in the Middle East", "US foreign policy" and "major trends in medical research".

In a statement, the group said the conference was "designed to foster dialogue between Europe and North America".

"The conference has always been a forum for informal, off-the-record discussions about megatrends and the major issues facing the world," it said. "Thanks to the private nature of the conference, the participants are not bound by the conventions of office or pre-agreed positions.

"No resolutions are proposed, no votes are taken, and no policy statements are issued."

In the absence of publicity, conspiracy theorists run wild, blogging that Bilderberg are a "shadow world government" controlled by "deluded plutocrats" and aristocrats determined to subjugate and exterminate all opposition.

On Jones' Infowars site, one report argues that the Bilderberg Group were key lobbyists behind the European common market and the Euro, as part of a plan to destroy the sovereignty of European states.

Activists plan to hold a kind of 'fringe festival' near the event, featuring speakers, comedy, music, workshop and arts. On the road leading to The Grove, self described 'info-warrior' Rob wandered in for a look before the police lockdown takes hold. He says he's looking forward to the festival.

Rob points up to the hotel and says, quite seriously, "That's the Illuminati up there. That's the top rung of the people who really run the world." He explains that after the Second World War, the Nazi hierarchy quietly moved to the US and continued to pull the strings of the New World Order.